A group of native guides from the adjacent Moshi region, an Austrian mountaineer named Ludwig Purtscheller, and a German geology professor named Hans Meyer, all created history on October 6, 1889. They must have experienced a sense of awe and fulfillment that few of us will ever know as they ascended the last few steps to Kilimanjaro’s highest summit, a mountain that had never previously been known to have been scaled. If only they had been able to tweet it…
Internet Access on Kilimanjaro
This historical wrong has now been made right. On the slopes of Africa’s tallest peak, high-speed Internet access is now available, allowing would-be climbers to Insta their way to the summit — or, you know, phone for assistance before they join the 10 or so individuals who perish on the slopes each year. The Tanzania Telecommunications Corporation recently connected Kilimanjaro, and the country’s information minister, Nape Nnauye, who described the occasion as “historic.”
In a press event, Nnauye said that previously, it was pretty dangerous for guests to function without the Internet. Now, though, visitors to the mountain can stay connected to the world below them up to the Horombo huts, which are approximately 3,740 meters above sea level. However, they’ll have to wait until the end of the year before they can tweet from the summit, as Internet access is not expected to reach the entire 19,341-meter height until then.
Rescue Teams Can Find People in Need Much More Quickly
Access to the Internet has become an essential component of climbing in recent years, which can be either positive or negative. Even while an over-dependence on cell phones has led some would-be explorers to be directed up dangerous and perhaps lethal routes, even the most experienced mountaineers agree that connectivity is essential if something goes wrong.
The usage of mobile phones in Kilimanjaro, and other mountain areas, can also raise the alarm much quicker than was possible 20 years ago. This, in turn, makes it possible for aid to be delivered sooner, which benefits those injured in an accident. The use of mobile phones in such a manner has been credited with saving lives.